Dispenser for administering liquid medicine to infants



March 30, 1954 c. z. KWAST DISPENSER FOR ADMINISTERING LIQUID MEDICINE TO INFANTS Filed April 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENT0R.

March 30, 1954 c, z, w sT 2,673,563

DISPENSER FOR ADMINISTERING LIQUID MEDICINE TO INFANTS Filed April 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE DISPENSER FOR ADMINISTERING LIQUID MEDICINE TO INFANTS Claims.

This invention relates to liquid dispensers, and more particularly, to a novel dispenser, with mortar and pestle, uniquely adapted to the difficult task of administering liquid medicines or tonics to infants, children, or even domestic animals.

In administering liquid medicine to infants, it is desirable and necessary that each dose be consumed in its entirety. It is well known that in giving certain medicinal sub-stances to persons, and especially to infants and somewhat older children, considerable difliculties are encountered in administering the dose. Not feeling well, a child usually shies away from or abhors the sight of a spoon which contains medicine. Often he will grit his teeth and lock his jaws, or cry and turn his head from side to side making entry of the spoon very dificult if not impossible. It is also dilficult to balance a spoon full of medicine in one hand while quieting or holding the child with the other. Consequently, valuable medicine is lost and clothing or bedding may be badly stained. Furthermore, the widely increased use of tonics, cod liver oil, etc. as a medicine for children has emphasized the need of a dosing device particularly suited to the administration of such medicines to young children. I find that my invention, described hereinafter, satisfies this need in a highly efficient manner.

An object of my invention is to provide a colorful, comic, and/or pleasant appearing dispenser so that the infant will not fear or shy away from it.

Still another object is. to provide a dispenser from which measured quantities of medicine ma be administered.

Another object is to provide a dispenser having a spout to hold down the infants tongue to facilitate swallowing of medicine.

A further object is to provide a dispenser having a tapered spout which is designed to reach well back to the throat opening and which will simultaneously cause the infants mouth to open as it is inserted therein.

A still further object is to provide a dispenser having a novel cover which may be utilized as a mortar when it becomes necessary to administer tablet medicine, the end of the spout being adapted to be used as a pestle in such case.

Other objects and numerous advantages of my invention will appear from. the following specification and accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of one form of my novel dispenser.

Figure 2 is an elevation view looking at Figure 1 from the right.

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the spout of Figure 1 looking from the left.

Figure 4 is a schematic side view showing only the smoothly tapered portion forming the spout of the dispenser.

Figure 5 shows my dispenser in use or inserted into the mouth.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modification of my dispensing device showing the cover or mortar in position or assembled.

Referring to Figure 1 in detail, a preferred form of my invention embraces a novel container, designated generally by numeral I. My dispenser is formed preferably of polystyrene or other material commonly called plastic material, very colorful and capable of withstanding any solvent effects of the normal antiseptic or sterilizing solutions. It is of a predetermined size adapted to fit the hand easily and comfortably. All of its surfaces are smooth so that it is perfectly safe to use. Hollow head i is provided with a flat base 2 which serves as. a support, a reservoir 3 for liquid medicine, an entrance port 4, a removable cover designated generally at M for said entrance port, and a tapered hollow spout 5 having an aperture l3 for discharging the liquid. Entrance port 4 is sufficiently large to allow easy entrance of medicine with no spilling and to loosely accommodate neck ll of cover M. Reservoir 3 is sufficiently large to hold more than the normal dosage required for children, that is, it may hold nine teaspoonfuls or more.

Cover I4 preferably is also made of a colorful polystyrene or plastic material and, as shown, is preferably formed as a lid for the container 1. Cover [4 may, for example, consist of a crown IS, an annulus or brim It, a neck I7, and a concave circular recess is which may be utilized as a mortar in which tablet medicine may be crushed. Brim l5, substantially larger in diameter than entrance port 4, acts as a bearing surface which prevents cover M from falling through said port. Neck i1 is slightly smaller in diameter than entrance port 4 so as to provide ample clearance, said clearance acting as an air vent for reservoir 3. As shown in Figure 2, further venting is provided by indentations or notches 22 and 23 on the edge or brink of entrance port 4 when cover [4 is placed thereon. Cover is also serves to prevent medicine from being blown back on the one administering the medicine in the event the child coughs or chokes. As shown in Figure 2, the reservoir 3 of dispenser l is further provided with a transparent window 6 and a scale '6, calibrated in teaspoonful units, adjacent thereto, to permit measured quantities of medicine to be charged into the reservoir. Pouring surface 8 is curved and very smooth to allow unobstructed flow through the aperture 53 of spout ll.

Hollow spout 5 consists of a substantially flat bottom surface 9 (see Figure 3) which acts as a tongue depressor while administering medicine. Upper surface I!) is rounded, and together with surface 9, forms a tapered wedge which causes the teeth and jaws of an infant to open as it is inserted into the mouth thus facilitating entry into the mouth and swallowing of the medicine. Surfaces or walls 9 and iii are structurally strong either to withstand the pressure resulting from a childs clamping down his teeth thereon, or from force applied while crushing a medicine tablet as will be explained subsequently. In the form of my invention shown in Figure 1, spout 5 is further provided with. an elongated ball-like protuberance or nipple is at its extremity, said nipple acting as a pestle for crushing or pulverizing tablet medicine when utilized in conjunction with mortar H3. Nipple ls assures also that the infants tender or delicate tongue or mouth will not be injured as the nipple and spout are inserted into the mouth. Moreover, a very young infant will instinctively allow nipple is to enter his mouth before he realizes what purpose it is to serve. Within nipple is is an aperture l3 which communicates with hollow spout 5 as explained heretofore.

The geometry (size and shape) of spout 5 is critical for most effective operation; that is, the spout should be sufficiently long to reach back to the throat opening, and at the same time, the angle of taper should be sufficiently large to allow surfaces 9 and Ill to open the mouth adequately before the extremity is of the spout touches or contacts the rear wall of the mouth. The dimension L (see Figure 4) of spout 5 should lie between a minimum of 2 inches and a maximum of 2 inches. The included angle "A should lie between a minimum of 20 degrees and a maximum of 30 degrees. I prefer to employ a dimension L equal to about 2 inches and an angle A equal to about 25 degrees.

In operation, cover M is removed and reservoir 3 is filled with the prescribed liquid medicine through entrance port l. Medicine may be poured from a teaspoon or the like, or may be poured directly from a bottle, the necessary dose being visible in window 5 and measurable by scale 1. Cover it is then replaced. The dispenser next is grasped with the thumb and middle and ring fingers on sides or surfaces ii and it; (see Figure 2) while the index finger holds down cover i4, and is transported to the infants mouth. Since the child usually locks his jaws and refuses medicine, the tip of spout 5 or nipple 19 may be inserted between the teeth whenever the mouth opens slightly. Nipple i9 prevents the child from pushing the spout from his mouth for if he attempts to do so his teeth will momentarily hang or catch on the depression 26. With slight pressure applied, wedge-lil e surfaces 3 and IE1 cause the jaws to open while surface ll acts as a tongue depressor. After the spout 5 has been well inserted to the opening of the throat (see Figure 5), the dispenser is tilted in a counterclockwise direction, whereupon the contents of reservoir 3 flow over smooth surface 8 and are expelled through hollow spout 5 and aperture l3, the flat surface 9 further depressing the tongue during this operation. Inner surface 2! acts as a shield or guard which prevents the medicine from spilling as may be the case with a spoon. The speed of pouring may, of course, be controlled by the one administering the medicine by tilting the dispenser rapidly or slowly. It is also to be observed that the medicine hardly comes in contact with the palate, tongue, or teeth. This is an important factor especially when administering medicines which are of an untasty or corrosive nature.

If it becomes necessary to stop administering the dose because of choking, for example, the dispenser may be tilted back or away from the child with no resulting spilling or loss of valuable medicine. In the interim, the dispenser may be stood on its base, the cover protecting its contents from contamination and the spout remaining free of contact with any object or surface. At the opportune time the procedure may be repeated until all the medicine is consumed. The dispenser is then removed, can be readily cleaned and subsequentl, sterilized, and is ready for a later dose, or it may be conveniently placed in a medicine cabinet.

Furthermore, it becomes necessary to dissolve a tablet of medicine, as for example, an aspirin, the inside of cover hi may be used as a mortar. The crown it of cover 14 is held with the thumb and forefinger. The tablet is then placed in the concave recess l3 and is completely crushed with the rounded nipple 19 which is no xv utilized as a pestle. Brim it prevents the mortar from slipping through the fingers as pressure is applied to the tablet. Next, reservoir 3 is filled with the proper amount of water or fluid. Cover 54 is then replaced and its pulverized contents automatically fall by gravity into the fluid and dissolve. Or, as an alternative method, water or fiuid may be poured directly into the concave recess 18 containing the crushed tablet to dissolve the tablet. Cover it may then be replaced and its dissolved contents will flow into reservoir 3. The dispenser may be further agitated Or shaken to insure complete dissolving. The dispenser is then used in the same manner as explained heretofore. Any particles of the tablet remaining in aperture l3 will be removed by the washing or rinsing action of the medicine from reservoir 3 as it is administered.

In Figure 6, there is shown a modified form of my invention wherein the dispenser as a whole forms the neck and body portion of a container I. In this form of my invention, a somewhat different form of a cover (hat I4) is provided, and the nipple IQ of Figur l is omitted. In this case, the nose of the clown forms the spout 5, which spout is otherwise the same as was described wtih respect to Figure 1. It will be readily apparent that in accordance with the principles of the invention, any colorful, comic and/or pleasing animate object may be represented by the overall shape and coloring of the overall dispenser, it being only necessary to choose an animate object which has a natural ccurring protuberance, such as a nose or beak, which can be simulated in a normal or exaggerate-d form by the spout 5.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of the preferred forms of my invention. Various modifications, eauivalents, and alternatives may be adapted by those skilled in the art in accordance with the principles illustrated herein and accordingly it is intended that the disclosure be interpreted in an illustrative sense and that the scope of my invention be governed by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Iclaim:

1. A novel dispenser for liquid medicine comprising, in' combination, a lower base portion, a hollow portion projecting upwardly from said base portion, said hollow portion forming a resliquid medicine, said hollow portion having an entrance aperture near the top thereof for the insertion of liquid medicine into said reservoir, and a spout also located near the top of said hollow portion and extending from one side thereof, said spout having an aperture communicating with said reservoir, said spout having a substantially flat bottom surface suitable for use as a tongue depressor.

2. A novel dispenser for liquid medicine comprising, in combination, a lower base portion, a hollow portion projecting upwardly from said base portion, said hollow portion forming a reservoir for said liquid medicine, said hollow portion having an entrance aperture near the top thereof for the insertion of liquid medicine into said reservoir, and a spout also located near the top of said hollow portion and extending from one side thereof, said spout having an aperture communicating with said reservoir, said spout having a curved top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface, said surfaces having a substantially smooth taper along said spout, whereby the spout may be employed to force the mouth to open.

3. A dispenser, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle of the taper lies in the range between twenty and thirty degrees.

4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein the length of said spout lies in the range between two and two and one half inches.

5. A novel dispenser for liquid medicine comprising, in combination, a lower base portion, a hollow portion projecting upwardly from said base portion, said hollow portion forming a reservoir for said liquid medicine, said hollow portion having an entrance aperture near the top thereof for the insertion of liquid medicine into said reservoir, an elongated tapered spout also located near the top of said hollow portion and extending from one side thereof, said spout having an aperture communicating with said reservoir, and a removable cover for said entrance aperture, one side of said cover being provided with a concave spherical recess adapted to be used as a mortar.

CHESTER Z. KWAST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 187,690 White et a1 Feb. 20, 1897 1,893,972 Whitman Jan. 10, 1933 2,087,115 Plochman July 13, 1937 I 2,121,118 Cooper June 21, 1938 2,272,465 Horstman Feb. 10, 1942 2,569,139 Abelson Sept. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,408 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1882 399,635 Germany July 24, 1924 

